3D Avatar revolutionises fight against skin cancer

The fight against skin cancer in Queensland has been taken to another level with the installation at Princess Alexandra Hospital of Australia’s first 3D Avatar – a revolutionary skin cancer-detecting system.

Visiting the Clinical Research Facility at PA Hospital today, Minister for Health and Ambulance Services Cameron Dick said the system is the first of its kind in Australia.

He said the machine can produce a detailed 3D image of a patient which replicates the skin surface in complete detail.

“It’s of particular use in high-risk patients, as the machine is so detailed that it can pick up changes in a patient’s skin between check-ups,” Mr Dick said.

“Every year in Australia skin cancers account for around 80 per cent of all newly diagnosed cancers.

“Living in Queensland, we are used to living our lives in the sun, but with this outdoor lifestyle comes risks of developing serious conditions like skin cancer, so skin checks are a vital part of yearly check-ups for all Queenslanders.

“Between 95 and 99 per cent of skin cancers are caused by exposure to the sun. This revolutionary new way of detecting and monitoring skin cancer will lead to better outcomes for Queensland patients.”

Mr Dick said the Clinical Research Facility at PA was part of the hospital’s Translational Research Facility, which had originally been part of the “Smart State” agenda of previous Labor Governments.

“It takes time to develop facilities and culture, but what this shows is that vision expressed over a decade by previous Labor Governments is coming to fruition now,” he said.

“This research is leading the world in some areas, but in other areas, such as this one, is providing better services for Queenslanders.”

The Avatar, called the VECTRA Whole Body 360, is the first of its kind outside of the United States where three others are located.

To make a 3D avatar, a patient stands within a scaffold surrounded by 46 cameras, each of which takes an image at the same time. A computer program then stitches the images together to produce a 3D model that replicates the skin surface in complete detail.

Mr Dick said the main function of this complete body photography system is tracking changes in skin lesions, which are a tell-tale sign of a developing melanoma.

“The system quickly makes a record of the patient's whole skin surface that can be referred to during follow-up visits to identify changing moles,” Mr Dick said.

“It can also be used to measure body dimensions and track these over time as well,” he said.

“Patients are already reaping the benefits of this new system and are fascinated by the technology and its potential benefits.”

ENDS

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